Susan Pevensie: Falling
by TikiTyler9
Summary: Susan Pevensie remained awfully quiet when Lucy thought she saw Aslan waiting for them on the other side of the gorge. What was she thinking? And what do her thoughts say about her place in Narnia? Part of a series, can be read seperately. See A/N for inf


A/N: This is a part of a series of short stories documenting the story of Prince Caspian through the eyes of each of the Pevensie siblings. Each Pevensie will tell the story of two events, and each event will be split into two chapters. This is chapter one of the first event seen through Queen Susan's eyes.

I really hope you all enjoy this! This series is the first type of fan fic I've ever posted, so I'm eager to hear your thoughts. I'd like to know whether I should continue writing and posting these :) I really appreciate the reviews you've all left on the other three Pevensie stories of this series! Your words make me smile and make me really want to keep posting. :)

Of course, I own nothing. This all belongs to Disney, Walden Media, and of course, the wonderful mind of CS Lewis. Thanks!

STORY FOUR: FALLING

CHAPTER ONE: DANCING SHADOWS

AS SEEN THROUGH THE EYES OF QUEEN SUSAN THE GENTLE

The Rush River ran like a silver ribbon between the two rocky sides of the gorge. It bubbled over the rocks so far below us that it made my head spin a little. But that sensation could not suppress my smug remark.

"See, over time the water erodes the earth's soil, making it--"

"Oh, shut up." Peter's voice was thick with defeat, and I immediately felt a little bad for harping on him. I was so busy watching him despairingly look down the gorge that I barely heard Trumpkin gruffly remark to Edmund that the only way down was by falling. Peter turned around to speak to the others, but I wasn't listening. I was staring out across the deadly ravine, into the depths of the forest. The shafts of sunshine were piercing through the trees like golden spears studded with diamonds, and the mossy floor absorbed each sparkling ray. The light was doing strange things, spilling onto the opposite side of the gorge, making ghostly shadows dance on the rocks and tree trunks. It was funny... it almost looked like--

"There's a ford near Beruna," Trumpkin was saying. "How do'ya feel about swimmin'?"

"Better that than walking," I sighed. My desire to reach our destination and rest was swallowing all other emotions. Just as we were turning away I heard Lucy exclaim:

"It's Aslan over there!"

I turned with a start to look where she was pointing. Had I been right?

But no... the forest across the ravine was still empty, aside from the dancing light, and even that was fading fast. I could see even Lu was becoming baffled, her face dropping along with my spirits.

"Do you... see him now?" Trumpkin asked from behind us. We all turned to see him. Lu looked hurt, and I saw brief fire in Edmund's eyes, but I thought it was kind of funny.

"I'm not crazy," my sister rebutted, and told Peter that he wanted us to follow him. I'm ashamed to say that I released a little sigh. Lu had this way of wanting things so badly that she made herself see them. Back during our reign, I would catch her staring out the window of her bedroom, which faced the glittering Eastern Sea. Every sunset she was home at Cair Paravel, she would drop whatever she was doing and race up to be at her spot at the bedroom window. I don't know why I waited so long, but when she was about sixteen I asked her why she was so glued to that place whenever the day was done.

"Don't you see it?" she asked me simply, and turned to point to where the red sun was dipping below the horizon (in Narnia the sun sets in the east). "Right where the light hits the water?"

I just frowned.

"It's Aslan's face," she explained.

I never asked her again after that. I just let her have her moments. I don't know why Lucy did things like that-- say things that make you feel like you were missing something. Maybe it was for the same reason I felt the need to point out earth erosion to Peter. But at least that was based on fact. Lucy's remarks were pure hope. Fantasy.

I turned back to the conversation.

"I think I know Aslan when I see him," she was insisting. My frown deepened. Now she was taking it too far, implying that the rest of us would be unable to recognize Aslan. I was about to retort when a voice that had been rather quiet finally spoke.

"The last time _I_ didn't believe Lucy," Edmund began, then his eyes turned to me, "I ended up... looking pretty stupid."

Suddenly all the peace that I had felt while staring out into the forest had vanished, replaced by a sharp indignation as I met my brother's dark gaze. Why was he telling this to _me_? What did _I_ have to do with it? It was _me_ who stood waiting in Aslan's camp as _he_ came shamefully marching down the hillside, seeking _my_ forgiveness. It was _me_ who witnessed Aslan's death as he paid dearly for _Edmund's_ sins. My heart was racing angrily. Edmund's eyes just watched me honestly, quietly, and that just made me even hotter.

Meanwhile, Lucy and Peter had been talking, and I came back into the conversation just in time to hear Peter apologize softly to our sister before turning away from the gorge. I followed him, tripping angrily over the undergrowth. It took me a second to realize that I wasn't hearing enough footsteps, so I spun around to see Lucy and Edmund, frozen where they were.

Lucy had returned to staring across the ravine, where a mockingbird was alighting on the rock at its edge. Edmund was watching her quietly, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword and his dark hair sticking up from behind the arch of the shield strapped to his back. My sister turned to face him, distress heavy in her eyes. In that small moment they shared something I'd never seen before, something soft, something subtle, and I felt my blood pressure rise. It felt like jealousy, but I hoped it wasn't.

They finally turned and began walking towards me. My mind was reeling; I had a thousand bitter things I wanted to say. But something invisible was trapping the words in my throat, so my younger siblings walked past me undisturbed. As I turned to follow them I felt my throat reopen, but I didn't speak.

Maybe Lucy was right-- maybe He was in these woods after all.


End file.
